Stephen Cartwright

Stephen Cartwright
Born(1947-12-28)28 December 1947
Bolton, England
Died12 February 2004(2004-02-12) (aged 56)
EducationRochdale College of Art, Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design, Royal College of Art
Known forDrawing, illustration, painting
Notable workFirst Thousand Words
Farmyard Tales series

Stephen Cartwright (28 December 1947 – 12 February 2004) was a British children's book illustrator who illustrated more than 150 books which sold millions of copies worldwide. His illustrations are noted for being instantly recognisable and usually depicting open-faced, innocent-looking children and animals.

Life and career

Cartwright was born in Bolton, England, and studied at Rochdale College of Art before moving to London, where he trained at Saint Martin's School of Art, and then at the Royal College of Art to study illustration under Brian Robb and Quentin Blake. Soon after graduating, he joined the new book publishers, Usborne Publishing.

Cartwright's early work has been likened to Dudley Watkins and Leo Baxendale, with his 1970s work incorporating comic strip style, such as in Time Traveller series. Usborne's First Thousand Words, first published in 1979, was Cartwright's first international success and was translated into 55 languages. It was in this book, and ones that followed, that Cartwright incorporated a small yellow duck into his larger illustrations. The reader was prompted to find the duck on each page or find "where's Quacky?" The Times characterised his work from the 1980s onwards as "scenes of contemporary life conveyed a bonhomie which was typical of the artist himself."

Cartwright was married to Di Miggs, with whom he had a son and a daughter.

Selected Usborne books illustrated by Stephen Cartwright

Farmyard Tales series

Books in the Farmyard Tales series were written by Heather Amery and illustrated by Stephen Cartwright. There is a small yellow duck to find on every page. Titles include:

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Phil Roxbee Cox (21 February 2004). "Stephen Cartwright". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Stephen Cartwright". www.thetimes.com. 16 March 2004. Retrieved 19 July 2025.
  3. ↑ "Stephen Cartwright's Farmyard tales and other illustrations - in pictures". The Guardian. 21 September 2012. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 12 January 2026.